What I’m trying to say is: MY BOOK COMES OUT ON TUESDAY!!!!

Presenting the book to my 99-year-old grandfather, to whom it is dedicated.

I wrote the first chapter of the first draft of Something Other than God in the summer of 2008, so you can imagine how surreal it is to me to be able to tell you that the book will be released this coming Tuesday, April 29th. It’s not just a Word document that ruins my life after all! It’s a real book! With pages and a dustjacket and stuff!

I’ve also been not-so-patiently waiting to reveal the full list of endorsements the book has received:

“This heartfelt book is a lovely account of a spiritual journey and a charming memoir. The author’s epiphanies are wonderfully conveyed and will resonate with readers.”

- Dean Koontz, #1 New York Times Bestselling author

*

“Countless men and women find themselves astonished, overwhelmed, and swept off their feet by God’s ravishing grace, but rarely has anyone described the experience as honestly and compellingly as Jennifer Fulwiler has. This powerful conversion story deserves to be ranked alongside classics such as Augustine’s Confessions and Newman’s Apologia.”

- Patrick Madrid, bestselling author and host of the “Right Here, Right Now” radio show

*

“Of all the religious memoirs I’ve read, I can honestly say Jennifer Fulwiler’s is the best. Please don’t ask me how many religious memoirs I have read.”

- Tucker Max, bestselling author of I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell

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“A humorous, uplifting story about one woman’s journey from lifelong unbelief to both faith and an intimate relationship with Jesus and His Church – Something Other Than God joins science, faith, and reason in an engrossing read.”

- Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York

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“Thought-provoking, honest, and often hilarious. It will strike a chord with anyone who ever posed — or tried unsuccessfully to avoid — the big questions of life.”

- Gretchen Rubin, New York Times bestselling author, The Happiness Project and Happier at Home

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“Jennifer Fulwiler’s story of finding God when you aren’t looking for Him is a universal tale which will touch many hearts. With warmth and unflinching candor she leads us through a personal journey of faith and maturity that is as funny as it is affecting.”

- Raymond Arroyo, host of The World Over, New York Times Bestselling Author

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“Touching, inspiring, provocative and, above all, real. Fulwiler’s memoir shows us that while we’re seeking God, He is seeking us even more.”

- James Martin, SJ, author, The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything

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“Jen Fulwiler is one smart cookie. Open to the movement of grace in her life, she submitted that extremely bright mind of hers to the God who made it and chose to use, rather than worship, her intellect in the search for truth. We are all the richer for it.”

- Mark Shea, author, Making Senses Out of Scripture: Reading the Bible as the First Christians Did

*

“Something Other Than God could have been called Indiana Fulwiler and the Quest for Truth. This is a personal conversion story that reads like an adventure novel one cannot put down. Trained by her scientist father to identify and uncover ancient treasures, our driven protagonist spends a lifetime on the hunt, engaging both heart and head as she tracks down first what is desirable, then what is meaningful, until, finally — working her way through the clinging vines of conventions, the rolling hazards of memory and the brutal realities of suffering — she locates a priceless and eternal prize that had always awaited her. Intellectually satisfying, spiritually affirming and populated with peripheral characters that make you wish you knew them, too, Something Other Than God is an authentic and authentically entertaining must-read!”

- Elizabeth Scalia, author, Strange Gods: Unmasking the Idols in Everyday Life and the blogger on Patheos known as The Anchoress

As I was pulling together the list of blurbs, I happened to come across this picture, which was taken the same month that I began writing the book:

It wasn’t until I looked at that picture that it really hit me just how hard I worked on this manuscript.

I suddenly remembered long-forgotten moments of struggling through morning sickness to bang out a few works at 6 AM before the kids woke; the times I was sure that my literary agent would say it was brilliant and he’d send me back to the drawing board yet again; the day I read through Joe’s feedback on the third draft and wondered why I was surprised that my lawyer husband would write notes like, “This is boring. It also makes you seem insane.”

I remembered the moment I settled into a booth at an Indian restaurant to read the feedback of a top developmental editor from New York whom my agent suggested I work with. Her critiques were wonderful and kind, but they left me profoundly humbled — and discouraged to the point of tears — as I understood how much work was left to do to make this book shine. I can still smell the cumin and curry that lingered in the air as I stared out the window and wondered if maybe it was time to admit that I’m a talentless hack who needs to give up on the written word.

What you will read on Tuesday is not my first book, but my third or fourth. There were three full versions that were either scrapped or completely revised before even the rough draft of this final manuscript was completed.

What I didn’t understand when I began this process is that writing is like any other artform: Just as a painter couldn’t expect to capture the essence of a winter sunrise the first time he slapped paint on a canvas, an author can’t expect the first draft of a book to fully capture the real story.

When I read what the amazing folks listed above have said about this book, it makes me grateful for every single minute I spent trying to get it right. I am thrilled and honored to be able to share this story with you after all these years. I am counting the minutes until I can talk about everything with you!

Most of all, I hope that when you close the book after reading the last word on the last page, you’ll say to yourself the five simple words that are the highest compliment any author could receive: That was a good read.

P.S. Be sure to check in next week, because I’ll be announcing all sorts of fun stuff we’ll be doing to celebrate this long-awaited date!

P.P.S. Don’t forget that if you place your order before Monday night, you get a free ebook where I talk about the life philosophy that helped me get the book written!

I preordered this on Amazon back in December. I have followed your blog since 2008, watched you on The Journey Home, listened to your Lighthouse cd, and read the “Look Inside” portion on Amazon as well. So, like, I’m probably your #1 fan, ha.

I am so thankful that you didn’t wave your cumin-scented napkin in surrender at that Indian restaurant! I love your blog; I got so much out of your Family-First Creative e-book; and I cannot wait to read Something Other Than God! Thank you for persisting in a difficult endeavor and sharing your talent with us!

OMGAAA I’m probably going to abandon all of my life responsibilities from the time I open this book to the time I finish it. I know this. Poor husband, will have to live off the beer and old cheese left in our fridge for a few days hahahaAgnes @ Restless Until I Rest in Thee recently posted..Easter, Hubby’s birthday, and Journal Reflections

Looking forward to getting my teens to read. They’ve been asking questions about atheist friends (How will they ever believe; is it possible without growing up in a Christian home, etc)and I’m certain your story will be good for them. Warmest congratulations from a stalker friend!Allison recently posted..A Good Catholic?

Also try Lighthouse Catholic Media – cheap CD’s. I just finished listening to Jen’s conversion story (might be quicker for your teen to listen) and it includes an excerpt from this talk…
“How can we evangelize an unbelieving world? In this talk, Ken Hensley uses simple, effective logic to show how the atheistic worldview inevitably leads to contradictions that can’t hold up to sound reasoning. After hearing this talk, you will be empowered to conclusively demonstrate how unbelief leads to the destruction of morality, meaning, and even knowledge. “

Congratulations! You are an amazing witness to faith and perseverance! My order has been shipped apparently! I’ve just received an email saying it’s been dispatched. Can’t wait to read it over the weekend. God bless you and yours.

So excited! Maybe (hopefully!) it will arrive before we leave on our big UK trip to visit husband’s side of the family and I can bring it with me!! I am *so* curious how you got Tucker Max to read/blurb review your book!

I’m super excited for you. I. like I’m sure so many others, have been following you here at your blog since you started, and I think the thing I’m most in awe of is, you stuck with it ALL THESE YEARS….. WITH KIDS! Shouldn’t you get a medal or something?! Well I think so. ; ) It is such a pleasure to read what you say and I look forward to reading your book as well. Many congratulations. I can’t wait to hear about lives touched by this book.

Congratulations Jen!!! As much as this book has and will continue to bless your life, I suspect it will be even more of a blessing to the world. If even one person opens their hear to faith because of your book, how amazing would that be? Something tells me it will be so many more than one too. Thank you for having the perseverance and trust in God to stick with this! I can’t wait to read it! P.S. I have been enjoying your e-book already.Jennifer @ Little Silly Goose recently posted..Easter 2014: Answer Me This (Vol. 1)/ WIWS (Vol. 2)

Just ordered the Kindle edition and how to read it on my flight to my new assignment in England…as soon as I get that visa. I know your story will make the king trip go by quickly; I only pray I won’t leave my Kindle on the plane this time!Sr Anne Flanagan recently posted..Book Review: Saint John Paul the Great: His Five Loves

Congratulations! When I first starting reading blogs about 2 years ago, yours was one of the very first. I’ve become so fond of you and inspired by your writing! Thank you for all of your hard work and willingness to share your story. I can’t wait to read your book!!Danielle recently posted..Space.

Yay!!!! I remember how excited I was when you first announced you were writing a book. I can’t believe I’m going to finally get to read it next week! So very excited.Melanie B recently posted..Easter Week Begins with a Bang

Oh Jen, I am so so happy for you and amazed and humbled at your hard work with so much else on your plate and having to re-do things so many times. God bless you for your perseverance. I have always wanted to write, and my husband who died last year as you may recall, always wanted to write with me. Maybe his spirit and I can get together and still crank something out. And Cardinal Dolan–wow!!!!!

Blessings
Kerry Wolf

P.S. I don’t get paid until the second on May so can’t get the e-book I guess but will get the book for SURE!

As a long time reader, this brings tears to my eyes (might be a little bit of post partum hormones too…)! I received a preorder of your book for Christmas and can’t wait to read it! I don’t know that I’ve seen such great acclaim for a Catholic book…ever!

Congratulations! I pre-ordered and can’t wait to get it. I loved the advice in your ebook, too. I’ve been lurking (I hesitate to use that term … so creepy) on this blog for a while and hadn’t commented yet. As an aspiring writer — who is deferring personal work because I have some outlet for writing at my job, which satisfies the desire for now — I love to hear about the background on writing and revising the book, painful as it sounds. Your husband’s feedback made me laugh, even as I would have been devastated to receive it myself. It kind of reminds me of the excoriating criticism the students doled out to each other (seemingly sanctioned by the professor) in a creative writing class I took in college. Anyway, judging by the amazing endorsements alone, clearly your book benefited from all of the hard work. I’m excited to read the final result!

first of all…I want a dust jacket. To wear around the house. While I dust.

second of all…I don’t dust.

third of all…i feel like crying…like, actual tears…and I don’t know why. That picture of you with all of those babies…BABIES…!!!….the hours and hours of work..writing and re writing…
your heart, and humor, and your HUSBAND…who should publish his OWN book based completely on his comments on your book….

this is bigger than awesome and i hardly know you but feel so proud of you and because i am a human and don’t even take the time to make my capital i’s, i am a wee bit jealous that you set out and worked hard and….DID IT. YOU DID IT. you are brave and strong and now i sound like piglet and pooh so i will just stop here and say….. CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and God Bless!

okay, so I was washing dishes and thinking of your book (I realized I didn’t *immediately* download the bonus book–foolish!) and my 2 y.o. was sitting at the counter eating carrots and dip. I realized you would love her story (and video–but I don’t have that). She is a “sleep-eater”. Some people talk in their sleep, some sleepwalk, but she eats. Her eyes close and she chomps away. If you try to take her food, she opens her eyes and objects, then she takes a bite, closes her eyes again and chew/snoozes. Once when she was eating a burrito, we tried several times to take it from her as she nodded off, only to have her wake and snatch it back. At one point we got it away from her, only to have her grab up the dish towel and start trying to gnaw it. Oh for technology to record this phenomenon! It probably isn’t safe to eat while sleeping, but it’s super funny to watch.

The Marian center called and it’s here! I’m picking it up tomorrow. This is my belated Christmas gift to myself! (I told the store to order quite a few as I thought it would be a really big hit. Looks like it has superb reviews!)

So, geeking out a little that Dean Koontz wrote a blurb for you. I used to devour his books. I read an interview with him a few years ago where he talked about how his Catholic faith showed up in his writing which was REALLY interesting as (as most people know, I’m sure) he writes horror/thrillers which often have very dark themes and very evil bad guys doing very bad things and one might not think on the face of it that those two things were even compatible.

Jennifer, I’m truly happy for you. Thinking back on our lunch together in Texas, realizing now what I didn’t know then — the long journey ahead — really does make me appreciate it all the more. So glad you kept on believing in yourself and this story. Roxane B. Salonen recently posted..writing wednesdays: in the bowels of the ho-do

Wow! CONGRATULATIONS!! I am so thrilled for you! I truly cannot wait to nestle in my reading corner with your epic book in my hands. Thank you very much for all of your time, effort and prayer you poured into this book for the glory of God, for your readers, and for the love of the written word! You are an inspiration!

I loved what Patrick Madrid, Elizabeth Scalia and James Martin had to say about your book. Your book alongside Augustine’s Confessions, a real adventure story that shows how when we’re seeking God, He is seeking us even more. Everything. Wow! So, so happy for you!

Congratulations! Sounds like a winner from the get-go! May the saints be praised and glory and praise to God for your fortitude, courage and patience in seeing this book through to the end.Monica Benninghoff recently posted..Life is Fragile

I will be using my monthly Audible credit to purchase this book. No higher praise can be given. LOL Seriously, having watched your journey and hard work over the years, this is truly a day to celebrate!

Here I am, vacationing on Hilton Head Island, and wishing I already had your book in my hot little hands! Instead of being my beach reading, my pre-ordered, long awaited copy will have to be my home-from-vacation reading.

I hope you didn’t clean up all the insane parts (your husband’s comments are priceless.) All mothers need to feel some company when life makes them feel a little cray cray.
Good for you for persevering.:)

I’m catching up on my blog reading and just read this post. Wanted to say that it wasn’t a good read; it was a GREAT read. Phenomenal. I’ve been struggling with my faith in God lately and many of the reasons why were issues you encountered during your conversion. As an attorney, I need logic to help me along and you provided that in spades. Saying thank you doesn’t seem like enough, but it’s all I got. So, thank you.